thumbnail

Volcanology in Hawaii

Earthquakes & Volcanoes (USGS)
By:  and 

Links

  • The Publications Warehouse does not have links to digital versions of this publication at this time
  • Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

Abstract

Polynesians who first inhabited the Hawaiian Islands told in legend about Pele, Goddess of volcanic fires, who migrated from the Island of Kauai to Oahu, then to Maui, and finally to her present home in Kilauea Volcano's Halemaumau Crater on the Island of Hawaii. Geologists today accept this same relative age progressions for the evolution of the islands, demonstrating the kernels of geologic truth may lie in long-lived myths and legends.

J.D. Dana, a geologist with a United states exploring expedition in the 1840's, was the first to write about the increase in age of the Hawaiian Islands to the northwest. He noted that weathering of the lavas, erosional destruction of the islands by waves and streams and the growth of reeds around the islands progressively increased away from the Island of Hawaii. He correctly established the islands' relative ages, but absolute ages had to wait for over 120 years until radioactive age-dating techniques became available. 

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Volcanology in Hawaii
Series title Earthquakes & Volcanoes (USGS)
Volume 20
Issue 1
Year Published 1988
Language English
Publisher U.S Geological Survey
Description 27 p.
First page 4
Last page 30
Country United States
State Hawaii
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details